Stop retainer assembly for full-open drawer slide track

ABSTRACT

A stop assembly for the full-open drawer slide track consists of at least a projected tenon stamped formed at the end of the intermediate slide track and a stop retainer and a stop releaser mounted on the extension slide track in which the stop retainer and the stop releaser are under the compression spring to maintain in the normal operation condition. The stop retainer has a mitered guide to lead the projected tenon skidding into the slot under the stop retainer. While the extension slide track is being pulled outward, the mitered guide of the stop retainer will lead the projected tenon of the intermediate slide track into the slot of the stop retainer and the drawer will completely stop therein without further an outward over slide. This is a safety protection design for the drawer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the stop retainer assembly, in particular for the full-open drawer slide track.

2. Description of the Related Art

As shown in FIG. 1, the full-open drawer slide track is mainly composed of a main slide track 1′, an intermediate slide track 2′ and an extension slide track 3′ where the extension slide track 3′ carries the total weight of the drawer compartment. When the drawer is being pulled outward, the intermediate slide track 2′ moves on the main slide track 1′ and the extension slide track 3′ extends out of the intermediate slide track, letting the drawer fully opened.

In general, the full-open drawer is usually applied to storing the modular components easy for the performance of maintenance. The main board of the server is stored in the full open drawer in an attempt for easy access of inspection and maintenance. However, the drawer slide track must be provided a safety stop to prevent the drawer from being pulled off the slide track which may render serious damage to the equipment stored in the drawer compartment.

FIG. 2 shows the schematic diagram of the stop retainer commonly employed in the full open drawer in which the stop retainer 21′ is mounted on the intermediate slide track 2′ and a pivot stop 31′ installed on the extension slide track 3′ to achieve stopping the drawer from being pulled off. The stop retainer 21′ has two ears 211′ on the end rim and the pivot stop 31′ has two bevels 311′ at both end tips. The extension slide track 3′ also has a check point 32′ to limit the pivot angle of the pivot stop 311′ between the side wall 33′ and the check point 32′.

When the extension slide rack 3′ is idle, the gravity weight of the pivot stop 31′ will sustain at normal condition keeping two bevels 311′ close contacts with the side walls 33′ of the extension slide track 3′. When the drawer is being pulled outward, the bevel 311′ of the pivot stop 31′ is approaching the ear 211′, the pivot stop 31′ will change the angle and the bevels 311′ will move in a straight line along the ear 211′ till the pivot stop 31′ enters into the space between two ears 211′. At this moment, the pivot stop 31′ is free to recover to the normal gravity position with two bevels 311′ being restrained on the side walls 33′ of the extension slide track 3′ with one bevel 311′ contacting to the side wall 33′ and other bevel 311′ being stopped by the ear 211′. As shown in FIG. 3, the pivot stop 31′ is caught in the space between two ears 211′ of the stop retainer; the extension slide track 3′ is trapped with no further movement. This is a safety protection device.

To release the stop retainer 21′, a stop releaser (not shown) is employed by pushing the extension slide track 3′ inward a little bit to free the bevel 311′ from the trap of the ear 211′ of the stop retainer 21′ and the pivot stop 31′ will return to the normal gravity condition (as shown in FIG. 4), leaving the restrained space formed between two ears 211′ and backward to the closing position.

Unfortunately such a stop retainer where the pivot stop 31′ with two bevels 311′ is designed to be trapped in the space between two ears 211′ of the stop retainer 21′ is not considerably reliable. In the real practice, it is more than often found that there is an inertial existing on the slide track while the drawer is being pulled outward with a strong force, and the outward speed suppresses the swing of the bevels 311′ continuing to contact the side walls 33′ and the bevels 311′ of pivot stop 31′ will pass the ears 211′ of the stop retainer 21′ without being trapped, and eventually the drawer will fall off the slide track. This risk may cause not only the material damage, but also personal injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor knows well the pitfalls of the prior art of stop retainer for the full open drawer slide track and has devoted great effort to improving the weak point of the prior art and finally come up this novel stop retainer for the full open drawer slide track.

The technology this invention applies is a projected tenon stamp-formed on the end of the intermediate slide track. The extension slide track has the stop retainer and the stop releaser where the stop retainer is always under the pressure of a spring so as to maintain a down swing position. The guide bevel of the stop retainer is to lead the projected tenon entering the slot and the mitered slope is to guide the projected tenon into the proper position in the slot under the stop retainer. Before approaching the slot, the projected tenon is always under spring pressure, there never happens the inertial force which may derail the displacement of the projected tenon. The mitered slope will regulate the projected tenon entering the proper position in the slot under constant pressure exerted by the spring, there is no chance for the inertial force to take place and the stop retainer will never fail to trap the projected tenon. This design assures the safety protection which is the major object of this invention.

To release the projected tenon from the stop retainer is simply to lever the stop retainer or the push the stop releaser, the projected tenon will disengage the slot through the miter slope, so the extension slide track is allowed to push backward to the closing position. This is the best design for the full open drawer slide track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the prior art of the stop retainer of the full open drawer slide track.

FIG. 2 shows the assembly of prior art of stop retainer.

FIG. 3 shows the trap of the prior art of the stop retainer when the drawer is pulled open.

FIG. 4 shows the release of the trap the prior art of the stop retainer when the drawer is pulled open.

FIG. 5 shows the disassembly of stop retainer of this invention.

FIG. 6 shows the outlook of the stop retainer assembly of his invention.

FIG. 7 shows the assembly of the stop retainer of this invention.

FIG. 8 shows the stop retainer action when the drawer is fully opened.

FIG. 9 shows the stop retainer is released from trap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to FIGS. 5 and 7; the full open drawer slide track of this invention comprises a main slide track 1, an intermediate slide track 2 and an extension slide track 3. The stop retainer assembly consists of a projected tenon 22 stamp-formed at the end of the intermediate slide track 2 and the stop retainer 34 and the stop releaser 35 on the extension slide track 3.

As shown in FIG. 8, the stop retainer 34 has a conical point rod 341, linking with a bevel 342, an elastic retaining plate 343 which forms inward slot 344 and a miter slope 345 to guide the projected tenon 22 into the proper lock position.

As shown in FIG. 9, the stop retainer 34 is mounted on the extension slide track 3 under constant pressure applied by a pressure spring 346 from the top side. The pressure spring 346 always keeps the bevel 342 of the conical point rod 341 facing down to the side wall 33 of the extension slide track 3.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the extension slide track 3 is being pulled outward, the bevel 342 of the stop retainer 34 will lead and press the projected tenon 22 of the intermediate slide track 2. Before approaching the slot 344, the projected tenon 22 is always under a constant pressure exerted by the pressure spring 346, no chance for the stop retainer 34 to jump up due to the inertial force created by pulling the drawer. The projected tenon 22 guided by the elastic plate 343 will slide the slot 344 along the mitered slope 345 to fix at the proper position, so the extension slide track stops 3 therein. This stop retainer assembly eliminates the inertial force created by pulling the extension slide track 3. It is really the best design which has ever seen.

Please refer to FIGS. 7 and 8, the stop releaser 35 is composed of the releaser 351, a pressure spring 352 applying the pressure on the releaser 351, a spring puller 353 at the far end of the extension slide track 3 and a pushing rod 354. The releaser 351 has a mitered guide 355 contacting with front end of the stop retainer 34.

To release the extension slide rack 3 from the trap, just pull the conical point rod 341 backward so the slot 344 and the miter slope 345 of the stop retainer 34 will disengage the projected tenon 22, so the extension slide track 3 is free to be pushed backward to the closing position. Or as shown in FIG. 9, pushing the pushing rod 354 outward and the spring puller 353 will lead the releaser 351 moving outward, the mitered guide 355 works as a lever to lift the front end of the stop retainer 34, so the projected tenon 22 is freed from the slot 344 and the mitered slope 345. The extension slide track 3 can be pushed backward to the closing position.

The above statement proves that the stop retainer assembly is the best design to stop the drawer from being pulled off the slide track of the full open drawer. 

1. A novel stop retainer assembly for the full open drawer slide track mainly comprises a projected tenon stamp-formed on the intermediate slide track and a stop retainer and stop releaser mounted on the extension slide track; the stop retainer has a conical point rod at the rear end linking with a bevel, an elastic retaining plate which forms inward slot and a miter slope to guide the projected tenon into the proper lock position; when the extension slide track is being pulled out, the bevel will lead the projected tenon sliding under the pressure to the slot without jumping and displacement; the projected tenon will be guided by the bevel into the proper position formed by the mitered slope and the slot; the stop releaser constitutes a releaser, a pressure spring exerting pressure on the releaser, a spring puller at the far end of the extension slide track and a pushing rod; the releaser has a mitered guide contacting with front end of the stop retainer; when the spring puller is being pulled outward, the releaser is being pushed outward working as a lever at the miter guide to free the projected tenon form the slot of the stop retainer, permitting the drawer to be pushed to the closing position.
 2. The stop retainer assembly as claimed in the claim 1 in which the front point of the stop retainer is mounted on the extension slide track under a pressure exerted by a pressure spring so as to keep the bevel of the conical point rod always closely contacting the side wall of the extension slide track to guide the projected tenon sliding under pressure. 